Cleaning Tips

slorelord · 12-11-2007, 12:59 AM

I shoot a lot of corrosive stuff through my Nagants and I'd like some tips on cleaning. A couple old-timers turned me onto the method I currently use by pouring boiling water down the receiver before I start cleaning. This way works fine, but it’s very time consuming. I’ve read in a couple of these forums that some shooters use Windex before they clean. This seems much faster to me than boiling water, but is it effective? Any advice is appreciated.

Mooseman684 · 12-11-2007, 01:13 AM

Windex will neutralize the salts that form from Corrosive primers , long enough to get the gun home and clean it thoroughly with solvent, brush, and patches. Invest in a bore snake , it works wonders.
Rich

damage855 · 12-11-2007, 07:27 AM

Works for me.

shollis · 12-11-2007, 09:59 AM

From what I understand, it's the water in the Windex that takes care of the salts and the ammonia that takes care of any copper/metal residue, still the point is, it's effective.

I tend to take a spray bottle to the range and when I am finished shooting, I remove the bolt and spray down the barrel from the receiver while the barrel is still hot until the Windex drips out of the barrel. The heat from the barrel helps to evaporate residue and it takes care of things until I can get home and clean.

Edit: Also forgot I spray the bolt with Windex and wipe it down too, then I usually leave the bolt out of the rifle until I finish cleaning.

SwedeSteve · 12-11-2007, 01:42 PM

All sound advise! Nothing beats good old elbow grease!

DWARREN123 · 12-11-2007, 06:37 PM

Any warm water solution will work to clean the corrosive salts out then clean as a modern rifle.
I do like Balistol for cleaning, it was developed for these type of powders/primers.

Oxford · 12-11-2007, 06:46 PM

There's a large number of gun cleaning kits and solutions available. Personally, I use Hoppes and another synthetic solution called S&L Gun Cleaning Solution.

Here's just one of many links where excellent gun cleaning kits and supplies can be bought...or at least studied. Their displays are definitely made appealing.

Outers - Cleaning Kits

kortik · 12-11-2007, 06:54 PM

Windex is a good stuff.

Boiling water is a thing of the past, when Windex was not available. I do not believe boiling water is needed at all if Windex is available.

billy · 12-11-2007, 07:23 PM

i bring a big thermos (the kind with a spout) filled with scalding water and use a funnel while at the range.
and then just clean it regular like.

SwedeSteve · 12-11-2007, 11:33 PM

Thought Billy's recipe would've included a hammer (ha-ha).

just_a_car · 12-12-2007, 02:17 PM

I use windex when I have it, warm water if I don't.

Mainly, you just want to rinse out the potassium chloride salts formed from the potassium chlorate in the corrosive primers (it's not the powder that's corrosive, it's the primer!). The water will solvate the salts and rinse them out.

Just as table salt (sodium chloride) will dissolve faster in hot water than cold, so will the salts in the barrel. Thus, the reason to use the warmest water you can get your hands on... it will remove the salts faster and more efficiently.

The ammonia in the windex begins to work on the copper fouling in the barrel by way of an oxidation/reduction reaction (turning it green) and making it easier to remove.

If you are in combat or absolutely desperate without water to clean your gun, it is perfectly acceptable (and historically accurate) to URINATE into your barrel to rinse out the salts, as the main idea is to get the salts out to prevent them from attracting water and causing rust.

gandog56 · 12-12-2007, 02:28 PM

So pi$$ on it could be a good thing?

HandsomeRob · 12-12-2007, 02:56 PM

Could you Imagine? I mean we've all gone to a tree to take a leak or something like that but just imagine going to your local range and seeing a gun in the corner wizzin' on his gun! although in combat or battle I'd take a leak on anything to save my life.

I got one of those Outers cleaning kits, that Oxford posted earlier, when I got my Ruger 10/22 its a pretty nice little kit.

12-11-2007, 12:59 AM	#1
slorelord Registered User Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3	Cleaning Tips I shoot a lot of corrosive stuff through my Nagants and I'd like some tips on cleaning. A couple old-timers turned me onto the method I currently use by pouring boiling water down the receiver before I start cleaning. This way works fine, but it’s very time consuming. I’ve read in a couple of these forums that some shooters use Windex before they clean. This seems much faster to me than boiling water, but is it effective? Any advice is appreciated.

12-11-2007, 01:13 AM	#2
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness. Unit 13 Posts: 11,305 Images: 2	Windex will neutralize the salts that form from Corrosive primers , long enough to get the gun home and clean it thoroughly with solvent, brush, and patches. Invest in a bore snake , it works wonders. Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

12-11-2007, 07:27 AM	#3
damage855 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 956 Blog Entries: 1	Works for me. __________________ If total goverment control will make us all safer, then why are prisons so dangerous?

12-11-2007, 01:42 PM	#5
SwedeSteve Suspected Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Anchortown, Alaska Posts: 23,545 Images: 1	All sound advise! Nothing beats good old elbow grease! __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

12-11-2007, 06:37 PM	#6
DWARREN123 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: BETWEEN TN & KY Posts: 1,098	Any warm water solution will work to clean the corrosive salts out then clean as a modern rifle. I do like Balistol for cleaning, it was developed for these type of powders/primers. __________________ Have a nice day!

12-11-2007, 09:59 AM	#4
shollis Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 43	From what I understand, it's the water in the Windex that takes care of the salts and the ammonia that takes care of any copper/metal residue, still the point is, it's effective. I tend to take a spray bottle to the range and when I am finished shooting, I remove the bolt and spray down the barrel from the receiver while the barrel is still hot until the Windex drips out of the barrel. The heat from the barrel helps to evaporate residue and it takes care of things until I can get home and clean. Edit: Also forgot I spray the bolt with Windex and wipe it down too, then I usually leave the bolt out of the rifle until I finish cleaning.

12-11-2007, 06:46 PM	#7
Oxford Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Gladstone, Missouri Posts: 14,098 Images: 18 Blog Entries: 4	There's a large number of gun cleaning kits and solutions available. Personally, I use Hoppes and another synthetic solution called S&L Gun Cleaning Solution. Here's just one of many links where excellent gun cleaning kits and supplies can be bought...or at least studied. Their displays are definitely made appealing. Outers - Cleaning Kits __________________ "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right".

12-11-2007, 06:54 PM	#8
kortik Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 228	Windex is a good stuff. Boiling water is a thing of the past, when Windex was not available. I do not believe boiling water is needed at all if Windex is available.

12-11-2007, 07:23 PM	#9
billy Moderator Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 19,720 Images: 10 Blog Entries: 161	i bring a big thermos (the kind with a spout) filled with scalding water and use a funnel while at the range. and then just clean it regular like. __________________

12-11-2007, 11:33 PM	#10
SwedeSteve Suspected Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Anchortown, Alaska Posts: 23,545 Images: 1	Thought Billy's recipe would've included a hammer (ha-ha). __________________ Thank God we don't get as much Government as we pay for! -Will Rogers

12-12-2007, 02:17 PM	#11
just_a_car Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Edmonds, WA Posts: 4,091	I use windex when I have it, warm water if I don't. Mainly, you just want to rinse out the potassium chloride salts formed from the potassium chlorate in the corrosive primers (it's not the powder that's corrosive, it's the primer!). The water will solvate the salts and rinse them out. Just as table salt (sodium chloride) will dissolve faster in hot water than cold, so will the salts in the barrel. Thus, the reason to use the warmest water you can get your hands on... it will remove the salts faster and more efficiently. The ammonia in the windex begins to work on the copper fouling in the barrel by way of an oxidation/reduction reaction (turning it green) and making it easier to remove. If you are in combat or absolutely desperate without water to clean your gun, it is perfectly acceptable (and historically accurate) to URINATE into your barrel to rinse out the salts, as the main idea is to get the salts out to prevent them from attracting water and causing rust. __________________ B.S. Chemistry UofWA '09 CETME Owners - Founder AK-47 owners - Member The Mosin Men - Member

12-12-2007, 02:28 PM	#12
gandog56 Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Montgomery, IL. Posts: 11,784	So pi$$ on it could be a good thing?

12-12-2007, 02:56 PM	#13
HandsomeRob Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Western Wisconsin Posts: 172	Could you Imagine? I mean we've all gone to a tree to take a leak or something like that but just imagine going to your local range and seeing a gun in the corner wizzin' on his gun! although in combat or battle I'd take a leak on anything to save my life. I got one of those Outers cleaning kits, that Oxford posted earlier, when I got my Ruger 10/22 its a pretty nice little kit. __________________ You cannot invade the mainland United States. There would be a rifle behind each blade of grass. Last edited by HandsomeRob; 12-12-2007 at 03:27 PM.